Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher

School of Engineering and Digital Arts

As part of the European Commission funded Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative training network (ITN) programme: “PriMa (Privacy Matters)”, we are seeking a highly ambitious and talented Early Stage Researcher. 

PriMa is a collaboration between 7 research locations and 7 industrial partner organisations with a focus on the analysis and mitigation of privacy risks in a rapidly digitalising society. The overall objectives of PriMa are:

• to train 14 creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative researchers as privacy protection experts
• to contribute to a full understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of privacy protection in a digitalised society and 
• to contribute to the development of solutions that address this important societal challenge.

The post at Kent focuses on 'Biometric Identity Hiding, Obfuscation and De-identifaction' and aims to investigate emerging and future approaches to sensor-level identity hiding. The project has two planned secondments; A 4-month visit to TNO, Netherlands where the ESR will interact with the research team working with leading edge surveillance technologies and a 4-month secondment to the University of Twente, Netherlands where the ESRs will study the interaction between Biometric Identity Hiding, Obfuscation and De-identification and Biometric Profiling. 

As an Early Stage Researcher you will:

• write regular reports and transform research outcomes into high quality research papers and other project deliverables, communicate the results during regular meetings 
• provide training support and advice to graduate and postdoctoral scientists and technicians as outlined by the grant holder.
• attend and present at PriMa training activities and meetings as outlined in the wider programme, including at national/international conferences relevant to the research.
• interact with the supervisors at University of Kent and the other members of the consortium, coordinating activity across the consortium

To be successful in this role you will have:

• a minimum of a Masters degree (awarded or near completion) or equivalent in a relevant subject (e.g. computer science, electronics, mathematics or engineering). Your Masters Degree must be completed prior to the start date. 
• basic knowledge of security and biometric systems
• English language proficiency 
• interest in increasing skills across multiple disciplines within the broad field of cyber security 

We encourage applications from highly motivated individuals who meet the eligibility criteria, and in particular the mobility rules applying to this position. Candidates must not have carried out their main activity (work or study) in the UK for more than 12 months within the last three years, and must be within four years of obtaining the first degree that qualifies them for PhD study. This is an absolute rule with no exceptions, and candidates must describe how long they have been in the UK over the last 3 years. Candidates will be registered for the degree of PhD at the University of Kent.

The University of Kent is a leading UK university producing world-class research, rated internationally excellent. Our 20,000 students are based at campuses and centres in Canterbury, Medway, Athens, Brussels, Paris, Rome and Tonbridge.

Interview date to be confirmed, but will be held at a Network-wide Selection Event scheduled to take place in Brussels in March 2020.

Please see the links below to view the full job description and also to apply for this post. Please carefully read the Additional Information document to ensure the correct and necessary application documents are provided which include a CV and cover letter. If you require further information regarding the application process please contact The Resourcing Team on jobs@kent.ac.uk quoting ref number: STM-104-20. Informal enquires may be made directly to the ESR supervisor, Farzin Deravi, at f.deravi@kent.ac.uk or Richard Guest, at R.M.Guest@kent.ac.uk